propeller blades began to turn.

"Dive!" yelled the commander to his navigating officer, as he himself
slanted the submerging rudders.

Almost at the same moment the German warship's powerful searchlights
turned full upon the American submarine. Then came a great spit of
fire from a battery aboard the enemy vessel followed by the roar of
her guns and a salvo of shots.

"It's no use, boys," said the submarine commander to his officers.
"They have us trapped. Unless we surrender here we are going to be
blown out of the water in short order. We cannot submerge quick
enough to avoid that terrible gunfire."

Again and a shot from the enemy, and this time it struck in the water
just in front of the conning tower and flung a great spray that
blinded the portholes.

The _Dewey_ was just starting to submerge. With her diving rudders
inclined, the ship was tilted now until her bow pointed downward and
her stern reared up out of the water. She was shipping ballast in
her tanks rapidly, but the process was necessarily slow and, even
with her improved equipment, it must be one and a half to two minutes
before the hull could be submerged, let alone the conning tower.

"Hold her right there!" suddenly shouted the young lieutenant to his
navigating officer.

The latter was for a moment completely dumbfounded by the order.

"What---you don't mean---why---" he started to say, but instantly
withheld his speech at the frowning face of his superior officer.

"Up with that hatch!" the _Dewey's_ commander thundered, as his
executive officer stood aghast at the reckless procedure.

The latter hastened, however, to comply with the order.

"Wainwright!" shouted Lieutenant McClure.

Ted jumped into the conning tower beside his commander.

"You have already shown your bravery," began McClure hurriedly.
"Here's another test for you. Climb through the conning tower, run
forward and dive off the bow. But, first of all, grab a life-belt
and strap it to you. Don't ask questions. Have confidence in me.
When you get in the water, work your way rapidly around the bow
of the _Dewey_ to starboard. Float there in the shadow of our hull.
Keep close up. All will be well in a moment."

Obeying orders implicitly, Ted was strapping on the life-preserver.

"Ready?" called McClure.

Ted saluted.

"Right---go!" shouted the commander of the _Dewey_.

CHAPTER XII

YANKEE CAMOUFLAGE

To Ted it seemed as though he were follow